Browse Forums Pools & Spas 1 Feb 19, 2014 1:47 pm We're currently getting quotes for a new pool and having never owned a pool (or known anyone who has) we have a few real newbie questions. The pools we are looking at are approx 6x4m 1. Concrete v fibreglass (FG). FG comes with 25-30yr warranty and concrete only 6 or 7. Plus concrete may require peiring etc. Seems a no brainer to go for FG but people still get concrete pools and I imagine there must be a reason why? 2. Sand v cell filter - from what they're saying, sand seems the easier option but is this true and are they just as good? Salesmen seem to have firm views on what we should go for and drop in lines like "you'd never go for cell", but same as the above really - if the decision is so simple why is the alternative still available? 3. Everyone seems to be quoting on Saltwater and saying its the easiest and cheapest to maintain. True or false? 4. Heating - in our area the average low in winter is 3, average low in summer is 16. I intend to get a blanket and don't expect to use the pool in the winter months. Should I see how we go and get heating installed later on or do you think I should get it from day 1 and if so what sort? Responses to any of the above appreciated. http://camdenbuild.blogspot.com.au/ by invite only please pm me Re: Newbie pool questions 2Feb 19, 2014 4:41 pm FG is limited when it comes to placement near a boundary/house slab...both last when done correctly. i find salts the cheapest We prefer sand filters...have had less issues. As the tec advances maybe their improving...or already have At least include provision for heating with your install...makes hooking a heat pump/solar a lot easier down the road. Re: Newbie pool questions 3Feb 19, 2014 7:54 pm 1- concrete verses concrete has been covered here before . Go back through old threads . 2. Cartridge filters better but size matters . Getting a 400 or 600 sq ft cartridge filter will only need cleaning once or twice a year. A sand filter is generally supporter on farms & dusty locations but these areas are usually short of water so a cartridge is preferable. 3/ true by a long shot. Re: Newbie pool questions 4Feb 20, 2014 9:17 am We've (in Melb) recently put in a pool so had to face some of your decisions too. 1. FG limited in shape to squares/rectabgles and variations of (ie. ovals, kidneys). Concrete, whatever your willing to pay for. I wanted a concrete pool with deep section in the middle for 'bombing' but in the end decided on a rectangle FG. We're on fill and have had some concrete paths crack so decided FG was more likely to last. We also liked the FG surface and we've had many people say just that when thery've been in it. As a kid I remember tilied pools where there were always a tile here or there slightly out of alignment/level and someone always manages to scrap their water softened skin on it. Whether that still happens is probably down to the individual workmanship. 2. no idea. we've got a cartridge. How much crap gets in the pool governs how often need to clean. 3. No sure this matters. I've read where salt is nicer to swim in, but I reckon maintainance is dependant on how anal you are. I'm a computer person and like my numbers to say what they should, others look at the water and say 'not green, all good'. One thing that did surprise me was the salt water clorinator is not very smart. I expected to be able to set it on a value and it would work towards that setting, but no, it is a percentage based system (not sure if they are all like that but from what I've read most are) and the setting is a percentage of it's maximum output. This means that it's not set and forget at all. As the level of sunshine, amount of swimming, etc all governs how much clorine is in the pool, I've found I still need to monitor that closely. A friend has an automatic ph tester/acid feeder and that sounds like a great bit of kit. I'm going to see if I can add one. 4. Solar (black pipes on roof) are pretty cheap and running cost not to bad (i.e. electicity for pump). We've found it to heat pool enough to make it possible to swim on days you'd wouldn't otherwise. When we've had a few hot days in a row we've had to turn it off as it got to hot. If you wanted gas you'd need to consider the gas line, which will most likely be expensive. No idea about heat pumps. My advice would be once it's in, to monitor it (water quality) closely at first and get it under control (depending how anal you are) quickly and stay on top of especially PH and clorine levels. Get a blanket, we haven't yet and water evaporation is considerable. Re: Newbie pool questions 5Feb 20, 2014 12:11 pm Thanks for the responses. I like a few of the FG designs so will def go for one of those and will go with the salt water option. I'll hopefully get some more information on the filters, heating and blankets at the pool show this weekend, but please keep sharing any info and advice that you can. http://camdenbuild.blogspot.com.au/ by invite only please pm me Re: Newbie pool questions 6Feb 20, 2014 12:36 pm Fibreglass is fine as long as access to your back yard is good, otherwise you're looking at the added cost of a crane to swing the pool shell over your house from the street. Depending on big the trees are and where power lines are located etc, hire of a big crane can add a couple of thousand dollars to your budget. Re: Newbie pool questions 7Feb 20, 2014 8:23 pm hgmonaro We've (in Melb) recently put in a pool so had to face some of your decisions too. 3. No sure this matters. I've read where salt is nicer to swim in, but I reckon maintainance is dependant on how anal you are. I'm a computer person and like my numbers to say what they should, others look at the water and say 'not green, all good'. One thing that did surprise me was the salt water clorinator is not very smart. I expected to be able to set it on a value and it would work towards that setting, but no, it is a percentage based system (not sure if they are all like that but from what I've read most are) and the setting is a percentage of it's maximum output. This means that it's not set and forget at all. As the level of sunshine, amount of swimming, etc all governs how much clorine is in the pool, I've found I still need to monitor that closely. A friend has an automatic ph tester/acid feeder and that sounds like a great bit of kit. I'm going to see if I can add one. 4. Solar (black pipes on roof) are pretty cheap and running cost not to bad (i.e. electicity for pump). We've found it to heat pool enough to make it possible to swim on days you'd wouldn't otherwise. When we've had a few hot days in a row we've had to turn it off as it got to hot. If you wanted gas you'd need to consider the gas line, which will most likely be expensive. No idea about heat pumps. My advice would be once it's in, to monitor it (water quality) closely at first and get it under control (depending how anal you are) quickly and stay on top of especially PH and clorine levels. Get a blanket, we haven't yet and water evaporation is considerable. 3. Salt is defiantly nicer to swim in .( No smelly chlorine ) being anal with a salt pool would be weekly checks. I monitor the numbers on a new pool every 2nd day for the first 3 weeks to fine tune settings. Then it generally requires a adjustment 4 times a year. I recommend during times of high bather loads running the system on manual . 4 black pipes on the roof are old school . The hard plastic panels look much better, more efficient, don't blow off in the wind & are cocky proof. Your solar should be set up with a separate pump & a auto controller If you turn your solar system on manually its a crap set up. Ph feeders are a great idea but generally very unreliable . About 80% I've seen are no longer used. Unless you have a lot of leaves & plant matter falling in your pool a typical 40000 litre fibreglass pool will use around 2-3 litres of acid a year. a building inspector should be able to tell you about any major problems but we need a floor plan with dimensions to clarify options for extra bedrooms ... sometime an… 1 8731 Personally, considering your layout (study/work desks in bedrooms), I don't think you have any other option but to leave NW windows and make them as big as possible e.g.… 7 10484 We had this happen to us last year and got charged a variation. Try and give away as much as you can that is usable to charity otherwise if you are in Sydney I have a… 1 4508 |